Abstract

From the beginning of the 19th, production of geological maps experienced an enormous impetus, first by private scientists, and later, from the middle of the century onwards, however, mainly by the establishment of geological surveys in most of the European countries. Towards the end of the 19th century, the Royal Prussian Geological Survey was the leading institution in Europe in the fields of regional geological mapping and production of coloured geological maps. For this reason, the Prussian survey was commissioned by the international "Commission for the Geological Map of Europe", set up during the 2nd International Geological Congress in Bologna in 1881, to compile and edit the first international geological map series, the 1 : 1.5 million "International Geological Map of Europe". From 1881 until today, the responsibility for editing and printing of this map series has remained in the hands of the Prussian Geological Survey and its successors, the "Reichsamt für Bodenforschung" (Imperial Office for Geologic Research) and the present "Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR)" (Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources). The chair of the President of the Commission for the Geological Map of Europe (since the Second World War, the "Continental Subcommission for Europe" of the "Commission for the Geological Map of the World" -- CGMW -- founded in 1910) is still occupied by a staff member of the BGR. The 1 : 1.5 million Geological Map of Europe is now in its 3rd edition; this edition will be completed by the end of this century. Since 1965, UNESCO has cooperated with the CGMW in editing and printing international geological maps. Several other international geoscientific map series have been produced by or under responsibility of the Prussian Geological Survey and its successors, e. g: - Geological Map of the World 1 : 15 million - Geological Map of Europe 1 : 5 million - International Quaternary Map of Europe 1 : 2.5 million - International Map of Iron Ore Deposits of Europe 1 : 2.5 million - International Map of Gas Fields of Europe 1 : 2.5 million - Hydrogeological Map of Europe 1 : 1.5 million.